Stomp initiative engages readers, promotes volunteerism

By Azhar Kasman

How do we inspire people to do good? That was the question I was asking myself when I came up with the idea for the Stomp Goody Bag back in April 2017.

Fast forward a year later, the Goody Bag project has become one of Stomp’s most successful initiatives.

The objective was simple. We wanted to recognise the good deeds of everyday heroes by rewarding them with a Stomp Goody Bag and featuring their heartwarming stories on our Web site. By doing so, we hope to promote civic-mindedness in the community.

Students who helped an elderly man with a head injury after fainting were recognised with Stomp Goody Bags.

We started the project with a call to action, asking our readers to alert us if they came across people performing random acts of kindness worthy of the Stomp Goody Bag. The response was overwhelming.

Soon, we were receiving stories about people from all walks of life helping others in need — from a team of medical staff rushing out of their hospital to help a driver who had suffered a stroke, to an elderly stall owner who gave neighbourhood residents free vegetables every week.

When we receive tip-offs about such individuals, we try to get in touch with them to present them with the Stomp Goody Bag. Sometimes, we seek the help of our readers through social media to identify these individuals.

The Goody Bag stories on our Web site create a positive ripple effect. The more heartwarming stories we publish, the more tips about kind individuals we receive.

Some curious readers ask: “What’s in the Stomp Goody Bag?” We fill it with useful items like a Stomp jacket, a thumb drive, an umbrella, a water bottle, and a portable speaker.